McLaren passes a major milestone by producing its 15,000th car – a 570S. [Photo: McLaren]Any supercar enthusiast is well aware of McLaren by virtue of the company’s iconic F1 from the 1990s. A Formula 1 racing team funneled their technology and lessons learned into a road car, and it was completely bonkers. However, instead of building on the F1’s momentum, the company technically went dormant from 1994-2010. McLaren Automotive then emerged from the darkness with the MP4-12C, their first street car in over 12 years. Just this month, after eight years of operation, McLaren Automotive has produced their 15,000th car. The exact model to roll off the assembly line was a 570S Spider in Curacao Blue.
A New Challenger Appears
Their first foray into the market of production supercars, the MP4-12C took some time to catch on after its introduction in 2011. But it was hard to ignore the company’s F1 influence that made for a fast car that was enjoyable to drive. Many journalists cited a lack of charisma in the MP4-12C, such as Don Sherman of Car and Driver who said it had, “an obvious lack of sex appeal”.
McLaren had no problem fixing that ‘lack of sex appeal’ when they introduced the McLaren P1 in 2013. The first hybrid hypercar, the company will claim, captured many wishful minds with its stunning looks and mind-boggling performance figures. Not only did this vehicle steal hearts in an instant, it also helped to build the idea that hybrid tech can be used for more than just fuel economy, thank goodness.
Rapid Growth
From there, the company hit the ground running, introducing the 650S in 2014, followed by the 570S, 540C, 675LT and McLaren P1 GTR in 2015. In 2016, McLaren launched the 675LT Spider while also selling their 10,000th vehicle. Just last year, McLaren launched the 570S Spider, the 720S, and their new halo car, the McLaren Senna.
It is not easy to start a new car company these days, and it is even harder to find real success doing so. If you are questioning McLaren’s success at this point, just know that they outsold Lamborghini in the US last year. The reason for all this gushing about McLaren is that competition breeds innovation. Having another quality producer of supercars just means better products for us to experience.
Over the coming years, McLaren has made clear their plans to continue producing supercars, while integrating more hybrid tech in their lineup according to their Track 22 plan.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com to hear more about the recent success of McLaren and all your news, views, and real world reviews! Subscribe to TFLcar and TFLnow on YouTube for more news, views and real-world reviews.
Roman had the chance to drive a McLaren recently, the 570S Spider, here’s what he thinks:
Do you have info on the All-new Chevrolet Suburban?
Will there be a four-cylinder Ram 1500?
Mazda vs Subaru?
The first question comes from a fan who wants the latest on the All-new Chevrolet Suburban.
The All-new Chevrolet Suburban probably won’t look like this SEMA one-off, but it will look very different from today’s Suburban.
Nathan! What’s up with the All-new Chevrolet Suburban? I thought it would be out by now.
They must be taking notice of the success of the Ford Expedition. I bet they respond soon!
Killer
A: Hi there!
Oh yes, General Motors is fully aware of the success of the Ford Expedition. There have been several reports about the updates the all-new Chevrolet Suburban will have. Recently, spy photos hit the net showing a fully disguised Suburban sporting an independent rear suspension (IRS).
While GM is extending the life of the current Chevrolet Suburban with the inclusion of an RST model, the big SUV is prime for replacing.
Here’s what we’re expecting out of the all-new Chevrolet Suburban (and all-new GMC Yukon):
An independent rear suspension (IRS) with the same capacity as the old solid axle with load and towing numbers. It will also help open up the third row with more space.
They may use GM’s new 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 310 horsepower. The same engine that was just announced to be an option in the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado.
Another engine that looks like a logical fit is GM’s upcoming 3-liter I6 diesel engine. Both engines could catapult the Suburban to a new level of efficiency.
There will be a new frame (based on the discovery of the new IRS) which should be a longer version of the one slated for the upcoming Tahoe.
Expect lots of aluminum, especially on the doors, hood and tailgate. Weight-shedding is a great way to up the economy.
New exterior and interior designs: expect some of the new Silverado and Sierra to rub off on the new Suburban and Yukon; especially the front and rear designs.
Most of these assumptions are based on what we already know GM has in store for their full-size trucks. The IRS info we gathered from a Autoblog.com story.
Let’s hope the All-new Chevrolet Suburban looks as good as some of these nifty (possible) updates!
N
This next question comes from a fan who wants to know about Ram’s future power plants.
(Via: Twitter @NathanAdlen) Paraphrased: What’s happening with the Ram and its new engines?
All they did so far is debut the same Hemi V8! Where’s the new stuff? Can they compete with Chevy and Ford’s new turbos?
A: Thanks for the question!
Ram has several power-trains planned for the near future including E-Assist which is (basically) a electric motor that helps the gas engine move the vehicle off the line. This in turn helps the vehicle achieve better gas mileage. It is called a hybrid system, but it’s not quite what people consider a regular hybrid powertrain is.
We know that it will be available with the Jeep Wrangler 2-liter turbo engine and that’s the power plant Ram may turn to if more efficiency is needed.
N
The last question comes from a curious viewer who has a simple question regarding Mazda vs Subaru.
Hi Fast Lane Car guys!
Quick question, which do you prefer. Do you like Mazda better than Subaru? Why?
Cheers dudes!
A: Hi and thanks for the question!
Mazda. No doubt.
To be fair, nearly all of the TFLcar staff has or onced owned a Mazda car. Fun, reliable, inexpensive cars to be sure. In the past few years we’ve had a Mazda 3, 5, RX-7 and CX-5 as our personal cars. Still, many of us owned Subarus too. I mean, this IS Colorado and Subarus are excellent Colorado cars.
Hope that helps!
N
Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it’s relevant in the automotive universe, there’s a chance we may know something about it. The author’s email address and name will be omitted – leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.From day one, The Fast Lane Car has made it our policy to answer as many questions and comments as we can. We get thousands of emails and comments and feel that, as part of a tight-knit automotive community, having an open dialogue with you keeps things fresh and exciting.Got a question for Nathan? Drop him a line at: asknathan@tflcar.com.
The 2016 Lagonda Taraf revived the long-dormant nameplate in the Middle Eastern market. [Photo: Aston Martin]
Aston Martin launched the hugely expensive Lagonda Taraf as a modern take on one of their most iconic cars.
Picture Aston Martin today, and you’re likely enamored with the beautiful lines and sonorous engine note of the $200,000 DB11. Perhaps your mind conjures up images of the 1960s with the DB5, or the 1970s with the Vantage – known as “Britain’s first supercar”. What you may not think of, however, is a wedge-shaped car with pop-up headlamps crammed full of wonky electronics. Such a car exists, though – it’s the original Aston Martin Lagonda, built from 1974 to 1990.
Only 645 Lagonda’s were built, and owners had to pay a whopping $10,000 deposit just for the privilege of maybe, someday owning one. When it was first introduced, Aston Martin was in dire financial straights. It would have behooved them to play it safe and build something conservative. But instead, they built something totally out of left field. Ironically, though, it drew in hundreds of deposits and saved the company from financial ruin. Ultimately, that car wasn’t tremendously successful thanks to its controversial looks and complicated electronics – most notably its cathode ray tube displays. Now, there’s a modern take on the original car: the Lagonda Taraf.
The Lagonda Taraf alongside its predecessor, the Aston Martin Lagonda. [Photo: Aston Martin]
$1 million buys you “ultimate luxury”, according to Aston Martin
Lagonda was originally founded in 1906. It built its reputation through the first half of the 20th century on the backs of sporty cars until industrialist David Brown bought the marque and merged it with Aston Martin in 1948. The company produced Lagondas off and on until the above-mentioned wedge-shaped Lagonda, but Aston Martin recently revived the name in this car for the Middle Eastern market. It’s not cheap – each example costs over $1 million, and it’s hand-built on the same platform as the ultra-exclusive One-77.
As the Aston Martin Lagonda was back then, however, this car is something out of left field. On the whole, most modern cars’ styling is a complete departure from the cars of yesteryear. The DB11, for instance, displays modern curves and lines that place it on a different planet to the older cars in its bloodline. Even the beautiful DB7 looks like an antique by comparison. Here, though, it looks like the designer harks back to the wedge shaped design of the Lagonda. It’s particularly noticeable in the side profile:
[Photo: Aston Martin]Mind you, it’s not offensively ugly by any means. It’s just…odd, and in many ways unlike its contemporary, two-door siblings. The engine is more conventional – a 6.0-liter V12 dating back to Ford’s tenure overseeing Aston Martin, which produces 540 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It also hits 60 in an estimated 4.4 seconds, and wafts up to a top speed of 195 miles per hour.
The interior is fairly conventional, and clad in sumptuous leather trim. As you’d expect, this being a million-dollar car. It also features a standard, if slightly antiquated, navigation system and 1,000-watt Bang and Olufsen stereo. However, that’s not the strangest part about the Lagonda Taraf. When it was first launched, Aston Martin’s CEO promised only 200 cars would be built. Furthermore, it’s not like the brand has serious staying power in today’s marketplace, even among exclusive cars. You’ve probably heard of Maybach, but Lagonda?
This car is still fundamentally an Aston Martin
So, to recap: the Lagonda Taraf was an effort by a low-volume manufacturer to build an even lower-volume car with a name that graces one of the most strange and sensational cars the company has ever produced. It’s hugely expensive – perhaps not in itself all that surprising – but under the body, it’s still largely an Aston Martin. It’s still different enough, for sure. The few people who own one likely consider its strangeness and rarity its best virtues.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments! Check back to TFLcar.com for more interesting and strange cars. Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views and real-world reviews. Watch the video below for Roman’s impressions of an original Aston Martin Lagonda:
It’s not every day you see a Buick Grand National – especially one with less than 100 original miles
Back in the 1960s, American manufacturers were all known for making great muscle cars. Icons like the Mustang, Camaro, Challenger and Charger were all born during this period. However, several other brands also had some badass offerings in their stable. Under GM’s wing at the time were Oldsmobile with the Cutlass 442, Pontiac with the GTO, and even the Buick Skylark. By the 1980s though, that was largely all over. The 1970s oil crises wreaked havoc on big-engined, massively powerful coupes. It paved the way for boring, humdrum, front-wheel drive platforms bearing once great names.
This is no gutless ’80s GM V6…this is a turbocharged unit fitted under the hood of a special Buick: the Grand National.
The Skylark, for instance, moved more and more toward a wedge-shaped, soulless econoboxes with flaccid four-cylinder and V6 engines. A far cry from the previous decades. That is, until the Regal Grand National came along.
In 1982, a Michigan firm named Cars and Concepts retrofitted a couple hundred Buick Regals with styling elements to commemorate NASCAR’s Winston Cup Grand National Series. To that end, they gave the car a fitting name: the Buick Grand National. And now, this 1987 example is up for auction on eBay right now, with several rabid bidders vying to own what’s probably the lowest mileage example out there right now.
This 1987 Grand National was never even registered
Over the next few years, some big changes overtook the Grand National. For instance, they were all painted black from 1984 onward. Finally, by 1987, the Grand National’s final year, the 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 engine pumped out 245 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque through a four-speed automatic transmission. That’s respectable performance even by today’s standards.
If you wanted a shot at this murdered-out Buick – and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t? – chances have been relatively few and far between. Especially given this car’s heritage, with just forty-nine original miles on the clock. Purchased in Colorado, the original owner picked it up from a delivery truck at an abandoned Air Force complex he owned, stored it for 12 years, then drove it out again when he sold it.
From there, the car moved to Idaho, where the second owner also appears to have stored it for a long time, before the current seller’s brother picked it up and brought it to San Marcos, Texas. Despite how many miles this car has traveled on the back of a transport, it’s only traveled 49 miles under its own power. It still has the plastic wrap on the steering wheel and the seats, for goodness’ sake. You can’t get much more pristine than that.
The car originally sold for just over $41,000 in today’s dollars
Back then, this car was fully optioned and sole for $18,954 – or just over $41,000 in today’s money. It also included factory T-Tops, another unmistakable ’80s feature, a 342 Positraction limited-slip rear end – pretty much everything except the digital speedometer option.
At time of writing, this car’s up for auction on eBay with a bid of $73,600. There’s 12 hours left, so if you’ve always wanted a pristine Grand National, time is of the essence. This “barn find” is going for about $20,000 over other nearly-mint examples. But really, when are you ever going to see a car like this with less than 50 original miles ever again?
The Nissan LEAF Open Top Concept is, um, different? [Photo: Nissan]
If you find electric cars just a little boring, Nissan has a solution for you – just take the roof off!
The hills are alive to the sound of…well, nothing. No, this isn’t the creation of some bored artist on a dull Friday afternoon. This is the real deal – a live, convertible Nissan LEAF, in the sheet metal. It’s called the Nissan LEAF Open Car – talk about getting straight to the point. The company built this one-off concept to celebrate 100,000 LEAFs sold in Japan since they introduced the model back in 2010.
[Photo: Nissan]Blown away? Perhaps the thought of the wind actually blowing through your hair would change that. Nissan presented this targa-top in Tokyo, and builds upon the, shall we say, “heritage” of the Murano CrossCabriolet. Remember that? Oh yes, this isn’t the first time Nissan’s cut the roof off one of its otherwise practical cars. The company also ended up killing that car off due to its high price and lackluster sales. Evidently the public wasn’t terribly interested in a high-riding, crossover-bodied convertible that costs more than $43,000.
Somehow, we can’t help but feel the LEAF would have face the same problems if it went to production. Not that it will, mind you – the company mentioned this car won’t actually hit dealer lots at any point in the near future. Apart from its missing roof, this Open Top Concept is unlikely to have any unique features over the standard LEAF.
[Photo: Nissan]Are you interested in a 200+ mile electric hatchback convertible? Let us know what you think in the comments.
On second thought, taking the roof off a LEAF might make it more interesting. If for no other reason than to just have something weird.
Back in April, Nathan had the chance to drive the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback in San Diego, California. He very much enjoyed both the manual and CVT versions of the car, citing sporty handling and good looks as some of the major plus points. However, he left San Diego still without two important pieces of information about the Corolla Hatchback: pricing and fuel economy. Fortunately, Toyota has just released Corolla Hatchback pricing and MPG figures, so our depth of knowledge is finally complete.
2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback. [Photo: Toyota]
2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Pricing
The base SE starts at just $19,990 and comes with a 6-speed manual transmission, powering the front wheels. For this price, you get some cool features like an 8-inch touch screen, adaptive cruise, and auto emergency braking. Jump to the CVT and you’ll spend another $2,100, raising the price to $22,090. Should you find yourself wanting some additional features, you can spend $1,400 for blind spot monitoring, a different infotainment system and Toyota’s connected-car services.
The XSE gives the Corolla Hatch some nice looking appearance upgrades including a bigger spoiler and bigger alloy rims. It starts at $22,990 with a six-speed manual. The CVT costs, on the XSE, $1,100 for a total of $24,090. There is a $1,600 technology package available on the XSE that nets you connected-car services, wireless phone charging, navigation and an 800-watt speaker setup.
Fuel Economy
As you would expect these days, the CVT is a bit better on fuel than the manual. The CVT equipped in the SE gets 26 city, 37 highway, for 32 combined. The CVT is significantly better, at 32 mpg city, 42 highway, and 36 combined.
While the extra bits on the XSE look better, they also detract from MPG. The XSE CVT gets 30 city, 38 highway, for 33 combined, a slight decrease. Toyota hasn’t released MPG for the manual, but it would be fine to guess that it will be a similar decrease compared to the SE.
It doesn’t matter what trim or transmission you buy, the Corolla Hatch will be powered by the same 2.0L naturally aspirated four-cylinder that makes 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Also regardless of transmission, that power will be sent to the front wheels.
The Corolla Hatch is set to go on sale later in the summer. Be sure that we will get our hands on one for some high-elevation testing as soon as we can.
In the meantime, you can watch the video below featuring the top ten things you need to know about the 2019 Corolla Hatchback:
The Viper may still have some venom left, after all
It looks like we may see a 2021 Dodge Viper V8, possibly as early as the 2019 Detroit Motor Show! According to a recent Car and Driver report, FCA has every intention on bringing back the Viper to challenge the Corvette (both front and rear-engine) and the Ford GT – among others. While it appears that there will be no V10 offered, an all-aluminum Hemi is said to be in development.
There’s also the possibility of a (next generation) Dodge Hellcat or Demon engine being used, but that is speculation, along with a majority of this post.
It is said that the 2021 Dodge Viper V8 will maintain a front-engine, rear-drive layout with the signature long hood and small cabin intact. This also means that the look may be an evolution of the old Viper’s design. The report goes on to say that, just like the old Vipers, a convertible will be offered first with a coupe design coming later in its production.
Some of you might speculate that the 2021 Dodge Viper V8 could be a discounted 2019 Ferrari Portofino, which is a replacement for the Ferrari California. That’s a pretty good theory, but I suspect FCA wants to have the Ferrari and Viper kept as far away as possible to avoid brand contamination. Still, FCA isn’t building the 2021 Dodge Viper V8 to be third fastest among its American competition.
While no official details are available yet, it is a good bet that the 2021 Dodge Viper V8 may come with a manual transmission. That would make it one of the last supercars to offer a manual transmission option. That could be a huge selling point in itself.
Other questions:
Will side-mounted exhaust pipes come back?
What car (if any) will FCA benchmark?
Will there (finally) be a bigger cockpit?
Can it undercut the GT40, 911 and Corvette’s price?
Will there be an ACR or other race variant available?
We can only hope that FCA surprises us as much as Ford and Chevrolet have recently.
In the mind of any hot-blooded gearhead, nothing beats the sound of a thundering V8. Or a high-revving rotary. Even a nice, throaty V6 will do the trick to get the heart pumping a bit. Four-pots, though? Most of the time, they’re not what you’d call…lively. Sure, slap a turbocharger on one and you can get a pretty decent power return, but the sound they make just doesn’t stir the soul. Well, now, cars like the 2019 Hyundai Veloster offer up a deeper, resonant tone from their engines. Sort of.
Welcome to the modern automotive age, where everything, even engine note, is computerized. Yes, the Hyundai’s engine makes some noise on its own, but now it has an electronic wingman. Located in the infotainment system, Hyundai included options to enhance the engine’s sound through the car’s audio system. With either a “Normal” or “Enhanced” effect, drivers can amplify their car’s engine note with a simple selection. Now, plenty of people out there will absolutely hate this feature.
2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo and R-Spec. [Photo: Hyundai]It’s not to everyone’s taste, this simulated engine noise enhancement. If it’s not natural sound you’re hearing, then it’s a waste of time. However, others may enjoy the deeper, louder noise, simulated or otherwise. Despite the “fake it ’til you make it” attitude that comes with fitting such a feature, Hyundai did at least include the option to turn it off. Whichever crowd you’re in, the simple fact of the matter is that this sort of feature is here to stay. Whether it’s in hot hatches or performance cars, some will let you enhance the sound at your whim.
Check out our demonstration of the 2019 Hyundai Veloster‘s engine noise enhancement above. Let us know what you think in the comments! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views, and real-world, tech demo reviews. Find out more about the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo below:
The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid hatchback stakes a claim as one of the most efficient and practical cars for the money — but just how good is it on a 1,200-mile road trip?
In this week’s Ask Nathan:
Comparing the 2025 Mazda CX-70 vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
What happened to my 1997 Ford Expedition?
This week's first...
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